Walking the walk in Israel

February 22, 2009 - 9:53 AM by David

David Sussman gets ready to walk Israel.

Despite its relatively tiny size, walking the length of Israel in its entirety is no easy task. But 31-year-old Israeli David Sussman, 31, is doing just that beginning March 1st, as he embarks on the 265 mile route from Tel Dan in the North down to Eilat.

Sussman’s mission is to raise awareness and financial support for the All the Kids charity. All for the Kids is a non-profit organization committed to feeding and educating children in some of the poorest communities in the world. In addition, All for the Kids runs a series of programs in Northern India to encourasge Israeli backpackers on their post-army trip to participate volunteer work with Indian children.

Last year, All the Kids Founder/Director, Bradley Cohen walked the route in the opposite direction, raising $18,000 toward food, education, clothing and dental treatment for over 200 children in Israel and India.

According to Ynet, Sussman has raised $2,500 in sponsorship that’s earmarked for children in Dharamasala, Northern India, including sponsorship and support from the Dancing Camel Brewery in Tel Aviv, and Israeli touring company VITS Travel. The immigrant to Israel from Boston hopes to raise a grand total of $25,000.

Sussman was a bartender at Mike’s Place in Tel Aviv in 2003, when a suicide bombing killed three people. The incident prompted him to chang his status and claim Israeli citizenship. A year later he joined the army and served in an artillery unit in the 2006 war in Lebanon, where he survived a Hizbullah ambush of his unit

Sussman, now a certified Israeli tour guide, who will document his 100-day trek with day-by-day photo, video, diary entry, and interview uploads to his website.

“I’m doing this first because I can’t think of a worthier cause than this one. The ‘All for the Kids’ fund does great work. Unlike many bureaucratic charities, it gives kids direct help, really making a difference in their lives, and in the lives of the volunteers,” Sussman told Ynet.

“My second reason is to feed the minds and hearts of people around the world about Israel; to attract awareness and provide education to the world about one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented places on the planet. I hope this initiative will serve to inform people about both the history and present of this beautiful country that does so many good things for the world and that is so close to my heart.”

For more information on All for the Kids, contact Bradley Cohen at bradley@allforthekids.org or +972-(0)-54-971-7842

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